1982 Austin Morris Mini history documentation

Along with the impressive folder detailing the expenditure of the rebuild comes a fantastic binder full of colour images relating to the project.

Bank Holiday Monday – Worlingworth Car Treasure Hunt

Monday 29th May 2017 – Bank Holiday Monday

Worlingworth Car Treasure Hunt

Anything planned for Bank Holiday Monday?

If not, why not join the folk of Worlingworth for the day on their leisurely Treasure Hunt – a gentle journey through the lanes of “Secret” Suffolk, with 50 “treasures” to spot from the car and clues to solve along the 65 miles route?

The Hunt starts and finishes at Worlingworth Community Centre, IP13 7HX, commencing at 11.00am.

There is absolutely no racing involved – just enjoy the scenery! – and the likely driving time is about 4 hours. The route includes a 40 minute lunch break at Wissett, so bring a picnic.

There will be toilets available along the way, indicated in the Navigator’s notes. Refreshments will be available afterwards at the Community Centre from 3pm onwards.

All materials will be provided, including answer sheets and route details (not Tulip style). There are no restrictions on the use of SatNavs or O.S. maps, but you don’t need either. Because of the time involved, this is not a suitable event for children, say below 12, but that is up to you. To help with navigation and clue spotting, the ideal number per car is 3 persons (or more).

The entrance fee, payable at the start on the day itself, is £10 per car, and the best answers to the 50 treasures will win the £50 prize for that car’s participants.

If you are interested please contact Bernard Butler by email on bbtablet@btinternet.com  as soon as possible to reserve your place (and certainly before May 25^th to help us assess paperwork needs).

Suffolk Churches – a series of journeys in a Mk 1 Cortina by Bernard Butler – Chapter 5

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]During our recent post on our visit to Morston Hall we mentioned meeting Bernard and his wife who had, at home, a Mk1 Ford Cortina.

Bernard told me as a part of his retirement that he travels around Suffolk and visits our churches and photographs his car with the church and writes about the experience.

We are very pleased to be able to share with you their fascinating story. All of the experiences you read of below are from Bernard Butler. Bridge Classic Cars do not claim ownership in any way.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”Suffolk Churches – a series of journeys in a Mk 1 Cortina – by Bernard Butler”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Chapter 5

I set off again on a warm and sunny morning in late summer – September 13th 2006. The plan was to visit five churches to the east of Framlingham.

The first stop was at Bruisyard, hidden down remote narrow lanes.

Unusually, this has a round tower, not visible from where I had to take the picture.

The south chapel now appears to double as the vestry, and I was disappointed to find that a large carpet covers the brass to Michael Hare (1611) mentioned in the “bible” I am using – “Suffolk Churches and their Treasures” by H. Munro Cautley.

Then, following the river valley of the Alde that eventually passes Snape on its way to Aldeburgh, I travelled south-east to Rendham.

St. Michael’s church is not highly praised in the book, but it now has a History Corner that could easily take a fascinating hour to enjoy to the full on its own.

The Church Guide is also an excellent read, and I enjoyed this stop very much.

The main problem was parking the Cortina for the picture, as it is on a sharp corner.

Fortunately no traffic came along while I was setting up and taking the picture, and it looks a very peaceful spot in the photo.

Sadly, the third church on the route, Sweffling, was locked. This was a shame after the lovely walk across the grass up to the south porch. It was much better than a gravel pathway, and really made the church stand out as if it had grown out of the hillside. There were beautiful Suffolk views across the fields too.

I managed a peep through the east window, but could not see the item that is probably the cause of the church being locked – apparently there is a boiled-leather chalice case, elaborately tooled, and believed to be 13^th century.

Church number four was down a long descending narrow road, and it was fortunate that there was nothing coming up the other way!

Great Glenham may have been great once, but it is a tiny place now!

Inside, it was the first time I had seen colour in the arched head of the opening to the rood screen loft stairway.

Apart from this, the main feature of interest is the exceptional font with its very detailed and beautiful carving, still very rewarding despite the usual damage done in the 17^th century by the Puritans.

I managed an angled photo this time – the proper parking area being disfigured and obscured by BT vans and the like!

So on to the final church – Cransford.

The book sounded very critical – “drastically and dreadfully restored”! I took a rather pretty picture with the Cortina and just the church tower showing, and walked up the path to the porch – things didn’t look that bad.

Then it all went wrong – the door was locked, my second failure of the day, so I decided to walk round the outside of the building, and now found some of the horrors that the book’s author must have seen – horrible huge plain brick buttresses propping up the badly-cracked south walls; awful cement rendering along the whole of the side of the church; what looked like a shed coming off the south wall of the chancel; etc.

I beat a hasty retreat and set off for home, arriving after a two and a half hours journey in fine, if rather humid, weather.

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Route Details

Onto the A1120 travelling east, via Saxtead Little Green and Saxtead.

Through Dennington and then right onto the B1120 towards Framlingham.

First left, and then second left to Bruisyard church.

Unclassified roads to Rendham; then B119 towards Framlingham again before turning left, soon after the bridge, towards Sweffling.

First left, and left again to reach Great Glenham via country lanes.

Turn round and stay on this road to Cransford, crossing the B1119 along the way.

Finally onwards until reaching the B1120 – thence home.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

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April Promotion Winner Revealed

Thank you very much to everyone who booked to have their MOT with us last month.

Every MOT we carried out in April automatically entered our free prize draw to win a 3 course meal and a bottle of wine for 2 at Aurora Bar & Restaurant, Ipswich.

We can now reveal that the lucky winner of our April promotion is Mr Gittins of Westerfield.

We hope you both enjoy your meal at the beautiful Aurora Bar & Restaurant in Ipswich and we’ll see you again next year, same time!

Suffolk Churches – a series of journeys in a Mk 1 Cortina by Bernard Butler – Chapter 4

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]During our recent post on our visit to Morston Hall we mentioned meeting Bernard and his wife who had, at home, a Mk1 Ford Cortina.

Bernard told me as a part of his retirement that he travels around Suffolk and visits our churches and photographs his car with the church and writes about the experience.

We are very pleased to be able to share with you their fascinating story. All of the experiences you read of below are from Bernard Butler. Bridge Classic Cars do not claim ownership in any way.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”Suffolk Churches – a series of journeys in a Mk 1 Cortina – by Bernard Butler”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Chapter 4

After a freezing night in early March 2006, the morning began sunny enough, so at 10.30am I set off to visit five churches to the south of the Worlingworth area in a region enclosed by the B1120 to the north, the B1077 to the west, the B1078 to the south, and a line due south of Worlingworth to the east.

First stop was Framsden – a sleepy hamlet with a fairly large church. The interesting lych-gate into the Churchyard promised much, but unfortunately the Church was locked (key-holders listed).

On next to Helmingham, a majestic church attached to the Estate. It has many fine 17^th century memorials inside, and also boasts a vaulted room below (not open). Definitely a church to visit.

Nice picture too!

Through the countryside to Otley, where the church nestles hidden away at the end of a pretty driveway.

Another glorious Suffolk tower – the Cortina looks so small in comparison – so I took a second picture at this location.

The porch is on an equally grand scale – so much so that they have turned part of it into a toilet!

Another unusual but welcoming feature is the disabled access ramp just inside the South Porch entrance.

Striking north-east now to begin the return, the trip continued along virtually vehicle-free country roads to Cretingham.

This was the second church to be found locked, but again key-holders information was given for those who wanted to see inside.

As I had visited this church on a previous occasion – a Gardens and Classic Cars Show  in 2005 – I was happy to take the photo and move on.

Continuing through lovely countryside I tracked north to reach Earl Soham, the last stop of this particular journey.

Here I met my first and only other person from the whole trip. He turned out to be the key-holder, and he was opening all the doors to let the church get an airing.

The main feature of interest to me was the magnificent 17^th century pew-end carvings. All sorts of people, demons and animals are represented, and it is interesting to speculate whether the heads were all carved by one person: clearly the pew-ends themselves are the work of several carpenters, as you would expect – close inspection showing not only subtle variations in the intricate design, but also varying levels of skill.

I assume the heads are dowelled onto the top of the pew-ends rather than each end being completed from a single piece of solid wood.

I was back home before 1.00pm after a trip of three churches open out of five – about par.

The journey was remarkable for the distinct lack of traffic throughout, and with the Cortina’s heater going full-blast the views made this a very enjoyable trip on a sunny Friday morning.

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Route Details

Worlingworth to Ashfield-Cum-Thorpe, via Bedfield.

West along the B1120, then left onto the B1077.

Immediately the B1077 bears right but I went straight ahead onto a road marked “unsuitable for HGVs”.

Right at the T junction into Framsden – along here the church is on the left. Park in the road as the lane to the church is single track and difficult to turn in.

Continue along until meeting the B1077 again. Turn left and keep on where the B1079 branches off to the left. Helmingham church is immediately on the right – easy off-road parking.

Return to the nearby B1079 turn-off, and take this road this time – to Ottley.

The church is towards the end of the built-up area on the right – nice driveway entrance to park beside the church.

Turn left out of the churchyard and take the immediate right-turn down a country lane towards Clopton Green.

At the T junction turn left, marked Cretingham.

After a little over a mile take a left-turn signposted Cretingham, and then right at the T junction.

This brings you into Cretingham. Continue through the village and the church appears on the left as you descend the hill – easy parking.

Continue down the hill and turn right at the T junction. At the next T junction after a mile, turn left again – this brings you into Earl Soham.

At the village green triangle keep to the right and make a right-turn onto the main road (B1120). Go through the village and the church appears on the right. Park by taking the grass centred track (see photo) directly towards the tower, or park at the bottom.

On leaving the church turn right onto the B1120 again and shortly take the left turn towards Bedfield when the main road bends sharply to the right.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

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Suffolk Churches – a series of journeys in a Mk 1 Cortina by Bernard Butler – Chapter 3

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]During our recent post on our visit to Morston Hall we mentioned meeting Bernard and his wife who had, at home, a Mk1 Ford Cortina.

Bernard told me as a part of his retirement that he travels around Suffolk and visits our churches and photographs his car with the church and writes about the experience.

We are very pleased to be able to share with you their fascinating story. All of the experiences you read of below are from Bernard Butler. Bridge Classic Cars do not claim ownership in any way.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”Suffolk Churches – a series of journeys in a Mk 1 Cortina – by Bernard Butler”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Chapter 3

The third journey began on a dull morning in late November – Tuesday the 29th – but the forecast was for improving weather so I headed out south-west beyond the A1120 to find our first church at Gosbeck – and what an interesting church it turned out to be.

The tower, instead of forming the west end of the church, is where the south porch would be expected, so the entrance through the tower – often no longer in use in many other churches today – serves both purposes simultaneously.

On to Ashbocking, which did not look too promising from the map, being well off the road and set far into the estate lands of the owners of the great Hall. I succeeded in stampeding the horses running loose in a field – well they probably were excited about seeing a Mk 1! – but no-one came to warn me off so I found the Church alright, and I was delighted to find it was open.

This ancient building was first built for the Ash and then the Bocking dynasties, and for me its most interesting feature is a 14^th century recess in the south wall which must relate to the Hall families, although there is no inscription. It is quite beautiful and puzzling at the same time, with a gorgeous window in its centre. I have never seen anything like it.

Another interesting feature is the re-instatement of a Norman font, thrown away some hundreds of years ago and replaced, and then rediscovered by chance during some excavations in the first part of the 1800s, by which time its antiquity was appreciated, so they threw out the one they had then!

This latter font was described very scathingly in 1814 as being awful, so all has turned out for the best!

Next came Pettaugh church, attractively set behind trees on a slight incline.

However, it was shut, and the book didn’t have much to say about its features, so I made do with a rather nice picture in the sunshine.

Disappointment continued as the next Church was also closed, although I had expected it this time. Winston is a tiny hamlet to the south of Debenham and once again the Church appeared to have been built for, or at least maintained by, the owners of the Hall. Not much in the book again, although it is a pretty setting, but the Tudor brick-built south porch is attractive, and evocative of distant times.

Finally on to Debenham itself – by far the largest Church today.

Open although deserted, it was thoroughly explored and made for an interesting 30 minutes visit.

I ran the Cortina up the pathway that the hearses take and managed a decent photograph before hastily backing out again!

Back home again for a late lunch to complete this third tour of 2005 – the final one for this first year, and hopefully many more to come exploring lovely Suffolk.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

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Making a PitStop at Makro on Sunday

I’m guessing he wasn’t out picking her his full ‘bulk’ shop for the week but here we have this brilliant track day Caterham parked up outside Makro in Ipswich on Sunday morning.

A new arrival to the Bridge family

Congratulations to Bridge owner Craig and his partner Lyndsay on the safe arrival of Loick Ashley on the 23rd April. Weighing in at 7lbs 4.5 oz.

Here at Bridge we like always look forward and obviously what every boy needs is a smart set of wheels.

Welcome to the family Loick, your chariot awaits

1972 Triumph Stag in for a MOT

It’s lovely to see all of the local classics out and about when the sun is shining. In today, we’ve had a lovely little Triumph Stag in for a MOT.